1. Michigan (9-1, 7-0) – The Wolverines kept churning toward Indianapolis this week by rolling over Rutgers. There wasn’t going to be much gained out of the victory other than just getting it done and moving on, and that’s what the Wolverines did. One last test awaits at home next week against a sometimes stingy Indiana team before the showdown with Ohio State. Last week: 1. Julio Cortez, AP

2. Ohio State (9-1, 6-1) – The Buckeyes’ defense looked far better this week, but it did come against a Michigan State offense that has struggled all season. Offensively the running game was back to ordinary while the Buckeyes took advantage of good field position. They’ll have one more week to get things rolling when they head to Maryland before hosting Michigan. Last week: 2. Carlos Osorio, AP

3. Northwestern (6-4, 6-1) – The Wildcats long ago put the difficult non-conference season in the rearview mirror. They completed the nearly unthinkable this week by rallying to beat Iowa and clinching the Big Ten West for the first time. The Cats should roll into Indianapolis with plenty of momentum as they get Minnesota and Illinois over the final two weeks. Last week: 3. Matthew Holst, Getty Images

4. Michigan State (6-4, 4-3) – The Spartans’ defense continues to play as well as any unit in the country, holding Ohio State 200 yards under its average and giving up just one touchdown. But the offense continues to play poorly, keeping MSU from competing against the best teams in the conference. The final two weeks will provide a chance to improve the Spartans’ bowl position. Last week: 4. Dale G. Young, Detroit News

5. Penn State (7-3, 4-3) – The up-and-down season continued for the Nittany Lions as they took advantage of a hurting Wisconsin team to win their third in the last four games. With Rutgers and Maryland left on the schedule, odds are Penn State finishes with nine victories in the regular season and a shot at double-digit wins for the third straight year. Last week: 7. Abby Drey, AP

6. Wisconsin (6-4, 4-3) – The loss of QB Alex Horningbrook continues to hurt the Badgers, who have now lost three of the last five after dropping another decision at Penn State. A chance at winning the West is gone for the Badgers, who head to Purdue next week before closing at home against Minnesota as they try and finish in position for a solid bowl game. Last week: 6. Abby Drey, AP

7. Purdue (5-5, 4-3) – The Boilermakers followed last week’s big win over Iowa by completing arguably their worst performance of the season in a blowout loss at Minnesota. The Boilermakers were on a roll until losing two weeks ago at Michigan State and now head into the final two weeks of the season still looking to become bowl-eligible. Last week: 5. Andy Clayton-King, AP

8. Iowa (6-4, 3-4) – The Hawkeyes were in the thick of the Big Ten West race not that long ago but have now lost three straight and are limping to the finish. The loss at home against Northwestern saw the offense take a week off by scoring just 10 points. With Illinois and Nebraska left, there is at least a chance for the Hawkeyes to finish on a high note. Last week: 8. Charlie Neibergall, AP

9. Indiana (5-5, 2-5) – The Hoosiers kept their bowl hopes alive by ending a four-game skid and winning at Maryland thanks to a field goal late in the fourth quarter. Getting that sixth win won’t be easy as the Hoosiers head to Michigan next week before closing at home against Purdue. Next week also offers an opportunity to play spoiler against the Wolverines. Last week: 10. Andy Lyons, Getty Images

10. Nebraska (3-7, 2-5) – The Cornhuskers are finding some momentum late in the season, having won three of the last four after piling up 54 points in a win over Illinois. Freshman QB Adrian Martinez accounted for four touchdowns against the Illini as Nebraska gets set to host Michigan State next week before closing at Iowa. Last week: 12. Nati Harnik, AP

11. Maryland (5-5, 3-4) – The Terrapins have now dropped three of the last four after losing on the road late against Indiana. That elusive sixth victory is still out there for the Terps, but they’ll have to get it done next week at home against Ohio State or on the road in the season finale against Penn State. Last week: 9. Doug McSchooler, AP

12. Minnesota (5-5, 2-5) – After losing four straight to open Big Ten play, the Golden Gophers have now won two of three and are in a position to become bowl-eligible. They’ll have to beat either Northwestern or Wisconsin in the final two weeks, but considering how things were trending a few weeks ago, even getting the opportunity has been a turnaround. Last week: 13. Andy Clayton-King, AP

13. Illinois (4-6, 2-5) – The high of last week’s win disappeared quickly this week as Illinois gave up 54 points in a loss to Nebraska. As bad as the season has been for the Fighting Illini, there is still a chance at a bowl game if they can win the final two games. Of course, that would mean a win at home over Iowa and beating West champion Northwestern on the road. Last week: 11. Nati Harnik, AP

14. Rutgers (1-9, 0-7) – The bad run continues for the Scarlet Knights as they offered little resistance this week against Michigan. It’s been a familiar scenario playing out this season for Rutgers as the chances of picking up another win seems unlikely considering the Scarlet Knights host Penn State next week and then travel to Michigan State. Last week: 14. Julio Cortez, AP

Ann Arbor — It’s hard to be the leading man when you don’t have many lines.

But for Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan’s soft-spoken sophomore receiver, it never really has been about the speaking part.

Or even the top billing, though the former Cass Tech star arrived on campus as the No. 1-rated player in the state of Michigan and the prized centerpiece of the Wolverines’ loaded 2017 recruiting class.

“Yeah, one thing I admire about him is how humble he is, every single day,” said linebacker Josh Ross, a fellow sophomore who considers Peoples-Jones a close friend. “With all the hype surrounding him coming into college — five-star (recruit), all these expectations — he’s just so humble and down-to-earth.”

And while his high-flying act is finally taking off this season, that really hasn’t changed. Peoples-Jones leads the Wolverines in receiving (30 catches for 447 yards) and is second only to running back Karan Higdon in scoring with seven touchdowns through 10 games. But if you ask him to compare what he feels now with the frustration he felt a year ago as Michigan stumbled to an 8-5 finish in his freshman season, he’ll run a stop-and-go route right past you.

“It’s always fun to play this game that I love,” Peoples-Jones said. “It’s even more fun when we’re winning. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”

That’s all he needs to say, obviously. Last year’s gone and buried by this point, as fourth-ranked Michigan’s “revenge tour” rolls toward a climactic showdown in Columbus, where a Big Ten championship berth should be on the line Thanksgiving weekend.

Sunny-side up

And when pressed about last year’s struggles — the offense spun its wheels with three different quarterbacks and an offensive line that seemed lost, at times — Peoples-Jones prefers to look at the bright side. Sure, he finished his 2017 debut with 22 catches for 277 yards, no touchdowns and probably a few questions about where things were headed in Ann Arbor.

“And anytime you’re not doing as well as you’d like, or the team isn’t doing as well as you want it to, there can be tough times — just because you know you want to be the best,” Peoples-Jones said Monday, as he and his teammates began preparations for the Wolverines’ home finale against Indiana. “But I’ll just leave it at that.”

Clearly, there’s a different feeling now throughout the program. And for the receiving corps, which has a dedicated full-time assistant now in Jim McElwain, there’s a confidence that Peoples-Jones says goes beyond just schematic changes or weight-room growth.

“We’re playing free,” he said, describing what has changed with McElwain’s arrival, as well as the addition of former UM receiver Roy Roundtree to the staff. “It’s sense of going out there and doing what you do and not having to think about too much.”

I think it’s safe to say the addition of Shea Patterson has been a huge factor there — the arm talent, the accuracy, his playmaking ability on the run. And there’s no arguing the moving targets are easier to hit now with an established run game. But Jim Harbaugh took time to poke fun at himself Monday as he talked about the strides his receivers have made this season.

“The biggest thing is the way they catch the ball,” he said, noting he dropped two passes in pregame warmups on a windy day at Rutgers. “I pride myself on catching them all. Those two drops by me and none by the receivers, which was outstanding.”

From there, Michigan’s head coach went on to talk about his receivers’ improved route running and run blocking. And when asked specifically about Peoples-Jones’ progress, Harbaugh replied, “Boom, boom, boom. Right at the top of the list.”

Eye-popping numbers

That’s where Peoples-Jones has always been, frankly, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Cass Tech as a junior and senior and capping his prep career with an MVP performance in the state championship game. At high-school all-star camps — even as a 17-year-old junior — he posted raw speed and agility numbers that would’ve turned heads at the NFL scouting combine.

The same was true when he arrived on campus as an early enrollee in January 2017, part of a highly touted class that included fellow receivers Tarik Black, Nico Collins and Oliver Martin. Asked what stood out about Peoples-Jones then, Grant Perry — now a senior wideout — pointed to those freakish physical attributes, “The stuff you can’t teach.”

But he’s learning now, and it shows, despite fewer opportunities at Michigan than he might've found elsewhere, playing in an offense that didn't lean so heavily on the run or on spreading the ball around quite like this. (Peoples-Jones is averaging just over five targets per game this season.)

“I think he has a better understanding of coverages and defenses, and how to get open on every play,” junior tight end Sean McKeon said. “Obviously, he’s making a lot of plays for us right now. He’s attacking the football and getting separation off really any kind of coverage. He’s really doing a great job of making plays for us downfield.

And when Patterson finds him, as he did in big victories recently over Michigan State and Penn State, the sophomore shows he’s got a flair for the dramatic.

It was his 79-yard touchdown that broke the Spartans’ back in the third quarter of that rivalry game, Peoples-Jones even striking a Paul Bunyan Trophy pose in the end zone at Spartan Stadium. It was his toe-tapping TD grab that truly ignited the rout of Penn State, a highlight that included him mimicking former PSU star Saquon Barkley’s windmill-arm celebration. (Barkley later responded to his Instagram post about it by praising the “young savage.”)

But this was his response Monday when he was prodded to talk about it.

“Enjoying playing football, enjoying playing for Michigan,” he shrugged, smiling. “I was just havin’ fun, making the most out of my moments.”